Students that exalt the sciences above the God of science, will be ignorant when they think themselves very wise. If you cannot afford time to pray, cannot give time for communion with God, for self-examination, and do not appreciate that wisdom which comes alone from God all your learning will be deficient, and your schools and colleges will be found wanting. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” What faith are we cherishing? Have we a faith that works by love and purifies the soul? Have we faith according to the light we have received? Satan would be exultant if he could work himself in at Battle Creek to deter the work of God by pressing in human inventions in advice and counsel. He would be delighted to have the workers absorbed in years of preparation, so that education would become a hindrance instead of an advancement. (FE 358.1) MC VC

The Holy Spirit of God has been striving with many youth, and has been urging them to give themselves to the cause and work of God. When they offer themselves to the Conference, they are advised to take a course of study at Battle Creek before they shall enter the work. This is all very well if the student is evenly balanced with principle; but it is not consistent that the worker should be long delayed in preparation. Most earnest work should be given to advance those who are to be missionaries. Every effort should tell to their advantage, so that they shall be sent forth as speedily as possible. They cannot afford to wait until their education is considered complete. This can never be attained; for there will be a constant course of education carried on throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. (FE 358.2) MC VC

There is a large work to be done, and the vineyard of the Lord needs laborers. Missionaries should enter the field before they shall be compelled to cease labor. There are now open doors on every side; they cannot afford to wait to complete years of training; for the years before us are not many, and we need to work while the day lasts. It is not best to advise men and women to take a course of study at Ann Arbor. Many who have been there have not been benefited in the past, and will not be in the future. (FE 359.1) MC VC

Mark the features of Christ’s work. He moved in the greatest simplicity. Although His followers were fishermen, He did not advise them to go first into the school of the rabbis before entering upon the work. He called His disciples from their fishers’ nets, and said: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” He called Matthew from the receipt of customs, and said, “Follow Me.” All that they were required to do was to follow Jesus, to do as He commanded them, and thus enter into His school, where God could be their teacher. As long as time shall last, we shall have need of schools. There will always be need for education; but we must be careful lest education shall absorb every spiritual interest. (FE 359.2) MC VC

There is positive peril in advising students to pursue one line of education after another, and to leave them to think that by so doing they will attain perfection. The education that will be obtained will only be deficient in every way. The Lord says: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” This is God’s devised plan; and through successive generations, through centuries of heathenism, this plan has been carried forward, not as an experiment, but as an approved way for the spreading of the gospel. Through this method from the beginning, conviction came upon man, and the world was enlightened concerning the gospel of God. The highest grade of schooling that any human being can attain to is the schooling given by the Divine Teacher. This is the knowledge that in a special sense we shall greatly need as we draw near the close of this world’s history, and every one will do well to obtain this kind of education. The Lord requires that men shall be under His training. There is a great work to be done in bringing human minds out of darkness into the marvelous light of God. As His human instrumentalities, we are by living faith to carry out His plans. Are we in a condition in which our faith will not work to the glory of God, or are we vessels meet for the Master’s use, prepared for every good work? (FE 359.3) MC VC